Head plate for vehicle axle

Abstract

A vehicle axle is provided with a main body defined by the combination of a channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration and a bottom plate. The ends of the main body are curved upwardly to define a pair of gooseneck portions. Axle head sections are formed at the ends of the axle and are closed off by end extensions extending from the front and rear walls of the channel and a cover flap extension extending from the top wall of the channel. A head plate having a rounded back edge and/or a pocket is inserted within the space between the cover flap and the top edges of the end extensions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A head plate for incorporation into the head section of a vehicle axle, comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein a back edge of the sidewall is configured to be connected to the head section and is rounded to define an arc starting at the top surface and ending at the bottom surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The head plate of  claim 1 , wherein the back edge of the sidewall substantially defines a semicircle starting at the top surface and ending at the bottom surface. 
     
     
       3. The head plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface is chamfered. 
     
     
       4. The head plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the back edge of the sidewall is chamfered. 
     
     
       5. The head plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the back edge are chamfered. 
     
     
       6. The head plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a pocket defined in the bottom surface. 
     
     
       7. The head plate of  claim 6 , further comprising a hole extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein a surface of the pocket is arcuate and generally coaxial with the hole. 
     
     
       8. The head plate of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the pocket is defined by the back edge. 
     
     
       9. The head plate of  claim 8 , wherein the pocket is defined between left and right ends of the back edge. 
     
     
       10. A head plate for incorporation into the head section of a vehicle axle, comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein a pocket is defined in the bottom surface, at least in part by a back edge of the sidewall, between left and right ends of the back edge and with a width less than the width of the back edge, and wherein the pocket is configured to be at least partially received within the head section. 
 
     
     
       11. The head plate of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface is chamfered. 
     
     
       12. The head plate of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of a back edge of the sidewall is chamfered. 
     
     
       13. The head plate of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of a back edge of the sidewall are chamfered. 
     
     
       14. The head plate of  claim 10 , further comprising a hole extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein a surface of the pocket is arcuate and generally coaxial with the hole. 
     
     
       15. A head plate for incorporation into the head section of a vehicle axle, comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein
 a back edge of the sidewall is configured to be connected to the head section and is rounded from the top surface to the bottom surface, 
 the back edge of the sidewall substantially defines a semicircle from the top surface to the bottom surface, and 
 an upper portion of the semicircle is substantially tangential with the top surface and a lower portion of the semicircle is substantially tangential with the bottom surface.